Lock lever for telescoping elements



J. SCHADE LOCK LEVER FOR TELESCOPING ELEMENTS Sept. 8, 1931.

Filed July 10, '1950 ,EE-L f1-315..

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fnvenfor Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE J OHN SCHADE, OF HOLYOXE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T NATIONAL BLANK BOOK COMPANY, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS LOCK LEVER FOR TELESCOPING ELEMENTS Application filed July 10,

This invention relates to locks for telescoping elements, but more particularly has reference to a lock lever which maybe conveniently operated to positively bring the intei-locking element-s in locked and unlocked positions.

The actual interlocking members shown 'and described herein ai'e not new, and this invention relates solely to the means employed for effecting the engagement and dis-4 engagement of suoli members.

This invention is utilized in connection with telescoping elements that constitute loose leaf binders, and in the accompanying l5 drawings which form a part of this application,

Figure 1 is an elevation showing the tele'- scopically arranged sections of a loose leaf binder equipped with the present invention,

the parts being shown in locked condition.

Figure 2 is a section at the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a broken elevation similar to Figure 1 but showing the sections distended and in locked condition.

Figure 4 is a section at the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figures 5 and G ai'e fragmentary side views showing the positions of the lock lever when the sections are respectively locked and unlocked.

Figure 7 is a section at the line 7-7 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a section similar to Figure 7 but showing the lock lever thrown back in the position that it assumes when the sections are unlocked.

Figure 9 is a detail elevation of the male locking member.

Figure 10 is a detail elevation of the lock lever, and

Figure 11 is a detail cross section through the male and female locking members, show-y ing their relative positions when the sections v are unlocked.

Similar numerals of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings. The sections of the binder are composed of back portions 1 and 2 which are in tele- 5o scopic relation so as to slide one upon the 1930. serial no. 466,952.

projecting posts 5 and 6 that penetrate, in

the usual manner, suitable holes in the loose leaf sheets. r f f The lock proper comprises a female member 7 secured `to one section, in the present instance, the section 1, and having a short indented threaded strip 8, these threads extending` beyond the inner surface of the member 7, and a male member 9, adapted to enter the female member and to operate in the manner presently to be explained.

This male member 9 has a groove 10`eX- tending throughout its length and threaded as shown at 11 adjacent one side of'this groove, and the outer end of this member 9 is reduced in diameter as shown at 12, and a finger lever 13 has ran opening 14 at the lower end conforming to ther cross section of the cutaway portion 12, and in assembling the lock, this cut-away portion is inserted through the opening 14 and then passed through a circular opening (not shown) in 'the side 4 and through a washer 15,011 the outer face of this'side, and the end of the part 12 is then riveted over against said washerf It will therefore be clear Vthat the male member 9 may have a rotary movement,and that the linger lever 13 is secured to the meinber '9, so that any swinging movements of said lever will cause rotary movements of the member 9.

It will be further noted that the lever l13 is closely confined tothe side 4 so that a `lip 16 which is formed along the upper edge ofthe lever 13 will, when the lever is moved to locking position, abut the outer edge ofthe side 4, the latter being cut away for purposes of Convenience, as shown at 17 and 117', the smaller slot 17 affording access to the lip 16.

When the lever 13 is elevated to disengage the members 7 and 9 the member 9 will be rotated so as to bring the groove 10 immediately beneath the projecting threads of the strip 8 and in this'position the telescoping sections of the loose leaf binder will be free to be distended or contracted.

Furthermore, when this lever 13 is swung upwardly to effect the result just noted, it will abut the edge ot' the side 4f, and thus prevent any overthrow of the member 9, so that the Jfree sliding movements of the members 7 and 9 will be assured, these relative positions ot theilocliing members being clearly shown at Figures 8 and 11, particularly the last figure which is made on a large scale.

Vhen the lever 13=is swungdownwardly it will imparta quarter turn to the male meme ber 9 which will bring-the threaded portion 11 of said member into engagement with the threaded strip 8 of the female member, and the sections of the binder will thus be locked,` and when this locked' position has been brought about, the lever 13 will have abutted theupper edge ot the cut-away portion 17 oi.l the side so that there can be no excessive rotation of the male member 9 such as would cause the threads to wedge to gether too tightly.

In unlocking `the sections a linger is simply placed below the lip 1G and the leverl 13 then readily raised. I

Locks of thissor thave heretofore been construeted with a slot within'the outer head of the male member, and the latter was then turnedby any suitable device, such as a screw driver or a coin, so as to bring about the desired relative positions of the locking membfers, but this alwaysnecessitated the presence ot some device for insertion in the slot, and also overthrow of the male. member in Y either direction often occurred, and the present invention offers a very positive and effreient means Jfor bringing about the desired relative positions of the locking members.

That is claimed is 1f. A lock for telescopingl elements, comprising an elongated tubular female member securedI to the side of one of said elements and having a narrow threadedportion that projects beyond the inner face of said member, aA male member swiveledI to the side of the other telescoping:eleme1it andhaving a groove throughout its lengthand threaded adjacent said groove, and affinger lever eX- tending, rigidly from the lower part of said male member adjacent the last mentioned side and having a lip portion extending therefrom adapted to abut said side and adapted tobe manually operated to interlock and Arelease the'threads of said members.

2; A construction asin claim 1, the lever consisting of a sheet metal structuresubstantially contacting the adjacent side andv havingca lip: alongdts outer-edge, one end of the lip abutting the edge of said side when the leveris operatedeitlier to lock or release the threads of said members.

3; A1 constructionias in claim 1themale and female membersfbeing, free to move one within the other when' the narrow threaded part of the emalevmember is withini the groove of the male member, the edge of the side adjacent said lip portion heilig adapted to abut said lip portion to arrest the swing of said finger lever whereby the overthrow of the male member is prevented and the locking, and` unlocking positions of said members are lnade positive.

4. The herein described improvement, comprising two elements havingl back p ortions slidable oney upon the other and' sides at right angles to said portions, loose leaf posts extending-` inwardly from said sides, an inwardly extending tubular female member secured toone of said sides and having a narrow threaded strip that projects beyond the inner wall ot said'member, axmalemember cooperating with said female member and swiveled to the other side-and having a groove extending tlirougliout the length ot said male member the groove being of` a width sufficient to loosely contain saidstrip, said male member beingA threaded. adjacent said groove, and a sheet-metal fingerlever rigidly secured to the base of the male member in substantialcontact with the adjacent side and having a lip along its outer. portion, the length of. the lip being suclizthat one end will abut the edge of said adjacent side when said lever is swung to either lockingor unlocking positions, said edge being cut awa-y so that said lever will be prevented from prio'- jecting beyond the edge when in lockedfposition, andwill aliordireadymeansfor raising the lipand lever to unlocking position;

In testimony whereof' I ax my signature hereto,

JOHN SCHADE. 

